Capital Airport BBI: Topping out ceremony for the new security building

18.03.11 08:53

Airport security, the federal police and customs will be moving into the building / Shared building optimises collaboration / Building to be completed by 30 October 2011 / Immediately adjacent to terminal building to ensure rapid response

Today Berlin Airports and Deutsche Anlagen-Leasing (DAL), the federal police and German customs celebrated the topping out ceremony for the new BBI security building. In a traditional ceremony, the topping out wreath was hoisted up to the top of the building. This new complex will be used jointly by the airport security services, the federal police and German customs, ensuring an optimum degree of collaboration between these law enforcement services.

Dr. Manfred A. Körtgen, Managing Director of Operations/BBI, stated: “Our concept of an airport where everything is within easy reaching distance has also been applied to the layout of the security building. For the first time, all security service providers and departments are located in one single building. This ensures swift, effective and informal communication on all levels. The building will be completed to schedule on 30 October 2011, and all the services located in it will be present for the start of the BBI trial runs, allowing us and them to test and establish all procedures.”

Kai A. Eberhard, Managing Director of DAL Deutsche Anlagen-Leasing, said: "We are delighted to play a role in this important infrastructure project as investors and project controllers. Within the space of only three months we have succeeded in fulfilling all the necessary conditions for the investment, which is proof of the new airport’s outstanding economic significance. The new security building creates optimum conditions to safeguard the airport’s security.”

Klaus Kandt, President of the Federal Police Central Bureau in Berlin: "The security building sees the completion of a key project for both the federal police and the new airport. As the centrepiece of the federal police presence at Airport Berlin Brandenburg it plays an immensely important role for Germany’s third-largest airport.” Dr. Adalbert-Christian Hoffknecht, representing the President of the Central Federal Finance Office, said: “The security building and the terminal building will create working conditions that are far superior to anything we presently have at the customs units at Tegel and Schoenefeld airports. Here, the design of the building demonstrates quite clearly a deep sense of responsibility for the safety of the people of this nation and society, and more specifically in this particular region.” The BBI security building will also house the main office of Berlin Airports’ Safety & Security division. In total, 25 staff employed by the airport operator will work in this building. In addition to an emergency control centre, the operative security training centre and the Berlin Airports’ service centre will also be located in the new building. The latter office is in charge of issuing and managing airport passes for BBI employees and customers. The federal police will also have a new command centre in the new building and the Airport Berlin Brandenburg police station will be located here. Equipped with the latest technology, the new police station will be able to liaise efficiently and swiftly with the other enforcement agencies in the building; the close proximity to the airside and the tight inclusion in all security procedures provide ideal conditions for the police to successfully handle all kinds of border police, aviation security and rail police operations at Airport Berlin Brandenburg International. To ensure the smooth transition from the present airports to the new BBI airport the security services and law enforcement authorities will be moving into the new building before the new airport officially opens.

In addition to the command centre and operations administration, the organisational divisions and the federal police administration, the new building will also house special operations units, including the bomb removal team and the explosive sniffer dog unit. The close proximity to the terminal will enable all units to respond rapidly when required. The 750 members of the federal police will also use the rooms here for police training courses and the weapons, control and operating resources required for use in the terminal will also be stored here.

Federal customs administration, represented by the main customs office Potsdam, will initially be moving into the new offices with around 250 customs officials who will be operating at the new airport. The senior customs officials of the various units as well as special units, such as the surveillance task group and the apron services, will also be moving into offices in the building. Additionally, the drug sniffer dog teams will be located here.

Financing for the security building is being provided by DAL. The company is also building four car parks, a car rental and service centre and three buildings for ground service providers on the grounds of BBI. The total investment volume is €240 million.